Dear Parents,

Since our speech pathologists all have different areas of expertise and training, it is important we get information from you about your child so that we can schedule the appointment with the most appropriate speech-language pathologist. You will also need to decide if you would like to schedule therapy or an assessment. If you do not have a speech-language pathology report within the past 11 months or so or an active IEP with a speech-language component, we schedule an assessment before beginning a therapy program. For simple articulation difficulties, an informal screening is often sufficient. 

What we will need from you before seeking an assessment:

1) If you desire services for the fall 2010 academic school year, fill out a Request for Services Form. 

At least seven days before your child’s first day of therapy: (after our staff has confirmed that we can schedule your child for services)
1) Patient History form
2) Most current IEP if you have one (less than a year old) 
3) Most recent speech-language evaluation (less than 11 months old).
4) Any related reports, such as from an Occupational Therapist (OT), psychologist or learning consultant.

In general, our office will call you within one-three business days after we receive the Request for Services form. We will then review with you the days/times we can offer for your child’s program, either on the phone or via email, as well as the choice of speech pathologist. 

Because we may not have the expertise to work with every type of case, it is important for you (and us) to make sure our skills are well-matched. The kind of individual therapy we do requires the child to be able to attend and cooperate with the lessons to some degree. In most cases, children do best when their parent waits outside the room until they have settled into a routine and bonded with the therapist. Occasionally, other practices may be more suited to your child’s needs. If we feel your child will benefit from a different approach, we will refer you to the right professional.